Progressive pile-driver support



Dec 25', 1928.

J. B. TEMPLETON PROGRESSIVE FILE DRIVER SUPPORT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 19, 1926 anoentoz dolmll'lmmmzrou- Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,820

J. a. TEMPLETON PROGRESSIVE FILE DRIVER SUPPORT Filed Jan'. 19. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 dormBTmmTou.

' Dec. 25. 1928. 1,696,820

J. B. TEMPLETON PROGRESSIVE PILE DRIVER SUPPORT Fild Jan. 19, 1926 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 25, 1928 UNITED STATES JOHN B. TEMPLETON, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

PROGRESSIVE FILE-DRIVER SUPPORT.

Application filed January 19, 1926. Serial No. 82,384.

My invention relates to pile driver supports and more particularly to supports which utilizes the driven piles for progressively supporting the pile driver as the piles are driven; and the object is to provide sim ple devices by which the piles already driven can be used for supporting the pile driver whether the piles are driven to a line on a level with the base of the pile driver frame or not, that is, the supports are adjustable and may be suspended from the top or upper ends of the piles. One of the advantages is that the pile driver can be utilized as readily where the surface of the ground is irregular as where the ground is level and the supports can be moved forward to be applied to the last driven-piles so that the pile driver may be used to drive the newly set piles. Other obects and advantages will be fully explained in the following description and the invention will be more the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the supports, two piles being shown projecting some distance above the base of the supports.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the supports.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the supports, as shown in Fig. 1.

F ig; 4 is a side elevation of a pile driver, being a diagrammatic view in conventional form, supported on two sets of the supports.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same, showing the piles driven down as low as the base of the driver.

Fig. 6 is a similar view, showing the piles projecting above the base of the pile driver and above the base of the supports. I

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the plate for protecting the lower ends of the piles which are to be driven.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

In practice, there will be probably three or more sets of the supports hereinafter set forth, so that one set may be placed in advance of two sets which are supporting the pile driver. Each set of supports includes two channel beams 1 which are mounted on and attached to two channel iron or steel channel particularly pointed out in beams 10 by means of angle brackets 12 and the beams 1 are braced and held in position by bolts 1. The pile driving mechanism is supported on the beams 1, between two sets of supports, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The

bolts 4 will be close to the piles which are being driven and may serve to make the base of the supports rigid.

Means are provided for suspending the supports on the piles which have been driven. Plates 7 are mounted on top of the piles. Short channel beams 5 are mounted on the plates 7 and plates 6 are mounted on the.

beams 5. The plates 7 are bolted to the lower flanges of beams 5 and the plates 6 are bolted to the upper flanges of the beams 5. The beams 5 and the plates 6 project beyond and on each side of the piles. Guard members 9 are bolted to the beams 5 by means of bolts 14: and suitable nuts and lock-nuts.

The supports or supporting beams 1 are suspended from the plates 6 and beams 5 by means of bolts or screw shafts 8 and nuts 13 and 15. The bolts 8 project through the plates 6 and the plates 11. The plates 11 support the beams 10. The cap supports, that is, the plates 6 and 7 and beams 5 are adjustable on the bolts 8. Consequently, the supporting beams 1 can be placed at the required location whether the piles project above the beams 1, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 6 or whether the tops of the piles are lowerthan the tops of the beams 3 and close to the tops of the supporting beams 1, as shown in Figs. 4- and 5. It is apparent that the cap supports may be placed on top of the piles at whatever point they'may project above the supporting beams 1, by simply letting the plates 7 rest on top of the piles and then screwing the nuts 15 against the plates 6. The cap supports are centered on the tops of the piles by the guard members 9 against forward or backward movement. The bolts 4 may prevent lateral movement of the supporting devices. The dotted outline in Fig. 4: illustrates how the cap supports may be located at higher elevations if the piles project upwardly higher than the base 3 of the pile driver.

Any pile driver of preferred type may be used with the improved supports above described. A diagrammatic view of a pile driver is shown provided with an engine 16, bearings 17 for cables, supports 3, columns 18 and braces 19 connected to base members 3 and to cross beams 20. The columns 18 may be braced from the cross-beams 20 by angle brackets 21.

It is apparent that various changes in the sizes, proportions, construction and arrangement of the several parts of the pile driver supports may be made without departing from my invention.

In practice, as soon as two piles are driven down to the required depth, the supports may be moved forward and placed on the newly driven piles. These operations may be continued until all the piles are driven. It is preferable'to re-inforce the lower ends of the piles as shown in Figs. 1 and An I-beam 23 is embedded in the lower ends of of the piles and an angular cap 2% is placed on the bottom of the pile and secured there by pins25. The bottoms of the piles are protected and the I-beams 23 project further down than the piles for penetrating the earth in advance of the piles. Thus the driving or the piles is made easier by reason of the lead of the beams 23, the caps 2% having openings for the passage of the beams 23. The upper side of the cap 24 is flat to engage the lower end of the pile 2 and beveled. on the sides to make a tapering form so that the cap will more easily penetrate the earth. The shape of the pile 2 is immaterial, as the supports may be carried on different types of piles. The lower ends of the I-beams 23 are changed from the I-beam form and tapered that they will penetrate the earth more easily.

l Vhat I claim, is,

1. A pile driver support comprising a plurality of members, each member having a pair of beams disposed on opposite sides of the piles, and means for suspending said beams from the tops of the piles, including adjusting devices for engaging each pile i'or holding said beams at different points of vertical adjustment.

2. A pile driver support comprising plurality of members, each member having a. pair of beams disposed on opposite sides of the ailes, and means for supporting said beams irom the tops of the piles consisting of pairs of cross beams attached to the lower sides of said supporting beams and binding plates attached thereto, a suspending plate mounted on top of pile, a pair of cross-beams attached to said plate, an upper plate attached to cross-beams, and screw bolts projected through said upper plate and through said binding plates and nuts for adjusting and holding said plates fixedly in the adjusted positions.

3. A pile driver support comprising a plurality of pairs of members, each member having a pair of supporting beams on opposite sides of the piles, and adjustable means for supporting said supporting beams from the tops of the piles, including caps and relatively long bolts engaging said caps for holding said beams at different points or vertical at justment.

at. A pile driver support comprising a plurality of pairs of members, each member having a pair of suporting beams, means for holding said supporting beams in operative position including lower plates, means for suspending said beams from the tops oil piles including upper plates and a pair of suspending beams attached to said plate, threaded bolts projected through said upper and lower -plates, and nuts on said bolts for fixedly adjusting said plates and the beams connected therewith for holding said supporting beams at the required location below the tops ol the piles.

5. A pile driver support comprisin a plurality of pairs or members, each member having a pair of supporting beams, means tor holding said supporting beams in operative position including lower cross beams and lower cross plates attached to the cross beams, caps for suspending said supporting beams from the tops of piles including upper plates, and means for holding said caps and said supporting beams fixedly at the required distance apart. l

6. A pile driver support comprising a phirality or" units, each unit having a pair of supporting beams, means for holding said beams in operative position including lower cross beams attached to said supporting beams and lower cross plates attached to said cross-beams, caps for suspending and supporting said supporting beams from the tops oipiles, and adjustable means for holding said caps and supporting beams fixedly at the required distance apart.

7. A pile driver support comprising a plurality of units, each unit having a pair of supporting beams to be disposed on opposite sides of supporting piles, means for holding said beams fixedly in operative positions, caps mounted on the tops of the piles, and means operatively connected with said caps and with said supporting beams for holding said beams at the required distance below said caps, including relatively long bolts ing said caps and said beams.

8. A pile driver support comprising a plurality of units, each unit having a pair of supporting beams to be disposed on opposite sides of supporting piles, means for he ing said beams fixedly in operative posnions, caps mounted on the tops oi the piles, means for centering said caps relative to the piles, and means operatively connected to said caps and to said supporting beams :tor adju ing and holding said beams fixedly at the required distance below the tops of the piles.

In testimony whereof, I set my hand, this 81st day of December, 1925.

JOHN B. TEMPLETON. 

